how to do a phd with adhd

Studying for a PhD with ADHD – tips and advice from one student

Amarpreet abraham was 29 years old when she received an adhd diagnosis. she explains how this diagnosis impacted on her phd work and the measures she uses to manage her workload.

Amarpreet Abraham

For as long as I’ve known about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), I’ve suspected I have it. I would make jokes about it and downplay how much it really affected me.

Previous patterns and past life experiences, both personally and academically, have always led me to wonder about how and why I work the way I do. I’ve found myself unable to focus when multiple tasks are at hand, assignments taking longer than expected, and with a feeling of being misunderstood.

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In 2021, as a 29-year-old, I threw in the towel and said, “What’s the harm in getting tested?” And voila – I was given the shiny new title of someone with ADHD.

It was another diagnosis I could add to the list of conditions I had: chronic depression, chronic anxiety – and now, ADHD. A lot of behaviours I had attributed to laziness, procrastination , boredom or random bursts of excitement and anger started to make sense.

Going to university with dyspraxia Going through university with autism Going to university with cerebral palsy

I would always convince myself that I was using ADHD as an excuse and that I was just a forgetful/lazy/chronic procrastinator. During 2020 and 2021, working collaboratively with others as part of my PhD studies at Monash University , and experiencing a lot of big changes in my personal life led me to realise that the way I functioned on a day-to-day basis was different from others – personally and professionally.

I reached out to a friend who had shared their diagnosis of ADHD on social media and I asked them about the process and how to get started, and they really encouraged me to talk to a specialist and seek a diagnosis.

I often get asked questions surrounding productivity, such as how I cope with periods of procrastination as a PhD student, as well as if I have any helpful tips for people in a similar position. The issue here is that there is no “one size fits all” approach in this scenario.

Everyone experiences neurodivergence in a different way, and it’s always worth experimenting and trying to find your own ways of working. However, although my methods might not work for everyone, they might help kickstart someone else’s journey into discovering their own methods.

In short, a few things that have helped me persevere and overcome my own barriers are:

• It’s OK to disclose and talk about your diagnosis (at your own pace and when you feel comfortable). Once you are done processing the diagnosis and have attributed behaviours and experiences to ADHD, explore discussing your diagnosis, and use it to support yourself and explain to others how it affects you.
• Progress looks different for different people and on different days. It is incredibly difficult to not compare yourself to others, but it is important to exercise self-kindness and remember that every day won’t look the same as the last.
• My PhD is not one big project; instead, it’s multiple little projects that can be further broken into smaller bits. I went from tackling each of my chapters as one big task to breaking them down into manageable smaller chunks so that I wouldn’t overwhelm myself.
• Sensory overload is real. It’s difficult to explain sensory overload, and it works differently for everyone. I now use noise-cancelling earmuffs to avoid noise and disturbances or listen to binaural beats as I work.

Having ADHD doesn’t come without its misconceptions, however. A lack of knowledge or training on the matter can lead to myriad stereotypes surrounding neurodivergence. One example is the misapprehension that people with ADHD are lazy, and it is used as an excuse for their procrastination.

Having ADHD and battling with time-blindness, as well as periods of mental blocks, is a constant struggle, and any effort made towards completing a task, whatever it might be, should be commended.

My diagnosis has been liberating and challenging. Not only because I finally knew what was “wrong” with me, but because I felt validated. I started listening to podcasts about ADHD in adults, reading books and blogs, and joined groups on Facebook and Discord to share my experiences with others who were in a similar boat.

If I was to sum up my experience with ADHD in one sentence, I’d say that it has been a largely positive but also daunting and overwhelming experience.

It’s OK if there are days where I don’t make any progress, or I sit and stare at my screen and seriously consider dropping out of my PhD. But I won’t let my PhD be added to the list of hobbies and tasks that were started but never finished.

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• February 3, 2024
• The Open University
• ADHD , Experiences , Neurodiversity , Parenting , Wellbeing , Your Academic Journey

I had just embarked on my Professional Doctorate and I was already amidst the first flurries of panic and excitement, following the first online residential weekend with the Open University . I found the weekend novel and fun – cake arrived through the post, there was a Padlet for people to post their introductions and some initial reading to undertake. What was not to like? Cake, people and learning opportunities – three of my favourite things!     But then the fall… how on earth was I going to fit this in, on top of being a full-time working parent?  

Utterly Overwhelmed

The module materials were dense and detailed, seeming to require hours of dedicated, focused time. I found myself in a WhatsApp group where people were firing off multiple queries, questions, and reflections. And then the clanger which really wound me up – a discussion about who would take a regular study day and when. T o me, t he posts seemed to come thick and fast… they collided with the other WhatsApp group messages regarding which of my children needed what item of uniform, cooking ingredient or homework task completed on a particular day.     In addition, I had a new student email which sat alongside my work email and although it didn’t ping quite so often, it still added a further layer of information overload. There were numerous lengthy communications, often in abbreviations , and my head was spinning; utterly overwhelmed with information firing at me from multiple directions.

Then a further shock that nearly knocked me sideways – my supervisor asked what date I would like to agree for a draft of my first assignment… ‘A draft?’ I ask ed , puzzled. My stomach tightened with dread. Unconsciously my body and mind both knew that this was a foreign concept to me. ‘A draft?’ I asked again. ‘What exactly do you mean?’ I knew the question sounded daft , and I can’t recall whether I was brave enough to ask it or whether I masked it and went along with the request. But I know my brain works with either ‘complete and only just submitted with moments to spare of a deadline ’ , or ‘not yet done ’. It does not work with anything in between, and it certainly can’t manage a full draft of an overall task at a moment in time anywhere prior to the actual, official deadline.

Hitting a Low

Very quickly following the heady high of the online residential weekend, I hit a real low. It wasn’t so much imposter syndrome, which is likely for anyone learning at the next level, but more utter panic that I could not cope with this. I knew that my brain was more than capable of coping with doctor al study (years of being teased, envied and at times bullied for being clever meant I knew I could learn and write well). But somehow, I seemed unable to put into words and sound credible when describing the challenges I knew I would now face again as a student. Challenges I had learned to live with as a full-time student in my early twenties, because no one cares much about the process when the outcome is high marks. However , these were challenges that I knew would not sit easily alongside my responsibilities at work and at home.

Too Many Responsibilities

Twenty years ago, I could afford to waste days pondering and it didn’t matter if I forgot to eat or fell asleep in the middle of the day because I lost concentration. But now I had too many responsibilities and I genuinely worried that I might forget to feed my children or carelessly miss a school pick-up if I dared to put my head down and immerse myself in study. Feelings of guilt, incompetence and failure crept in fast. The age-old reminders and top tips that make my stomach sink were all there – ‘you will need to be organised’, ‘keep meticulous records of your work’, ‘set aside clear time for studying’, ‘create a schedule and stick to it’, ‘have a study plan’. They sound so obvious and for everyone else, apparently, they work. Yet in forty-odd years, I knew these didn’t work for me.

My best friend’s words rang through my head: ‘but you know you always pull it off. We all know you will do it’. They ought to have felt like words of solace because they were true – I had always ‘pulled it off’, so what was my problem? I wallowed in thought for some while – why was I finding this quite so hard? Especially as I was only a few weeks in! The problem was, my style of learning was highly stressful, frustrating, overwhelming, and made for a difficult experience, that was made visible in my becoming a shouty Mum, with minimal tolerance for anything. A horrendous sleep pattern, any routine that did once exist falling out of kilter and, more than anything, a brain that was so close to exploding that it couldn’t focus on anything – at work or home. Keys, glasses and purse constantly missing because I simply could not remember where I had put things down.

In those early weeks, I did plough on. Not yet consciously aware of the relevance of the information I am sharing here or how the dots would join to create a completely unexpected picture. I have often shared Johari’s Window with students I teach – what’s known and unknown to self and others. The unknown to both self and others always makes for some fun and interesting discussions, simply by virtue of the unknowing feature! What might happen next? At the age of 48 years, I can confidently say, I didn’t see this one coming…

ADHD Awareness Month

Here I was, in October 2021, riding the waves of overwhelm and anxiety as I began to delve into the module materials and frequently panicking that it was an impossible challenge for me. I often turned to mindless scrolling on Facebook as an outlet for my busy head that wouldn’t focus when I was asking it to. I found my feed dotted with posts about ADHD Awareness Month. As a Children and Families Social Worker, I had worked several times with parents of children with ADHD, but I had never seen descriptions of adult women with ADHD… Time blindness, executive functioning difficulties, procrastination, emotional dysregulation, poor working memory. It wasn’t so much that ‘the penny dropped’, more that my brain became a suddenly successful 2p arcade slot machine on the seafront and in true ADHD style, multiple pennies dropped; jangling, sparkling, colliding, and racing through my head. All suddenly giving me a new, neurodivergent lens through which to see myself. Wow! So much suddenly made sense to me!

Working My Way

I promised my husband that I would not go down the rabbit-hole of reading about ADHD and that I would stay as focused as I could on the tasks at hand for my first year of the Professional Doctorate programme. It was tough, it was awful, and it was stressful in ways that people outside of our home probably never saw. A hidden battle of coping with a neurodivergent brain in a world generally designed for neurotypical ways of functioning. I did make some pragmatic decisions along the way:

– Despite worrying about becoming isolated, I left the WhatsApp group to reduce one aspect of ‘noise’ and actively chose a wonderful study buddy from that early Padlet.

– I handed in my version of drafts, which is ‘everything I have done so far by a given point’, but not necessarily complete, and this worked well to gain feedback with time still to spare before the actual deadline.

– Increasingly I allowed myself to work my way: through the night and into the early hours when it was quiet and dark and very up to the deadline, resulting in the feedback of ‘this is not a conclusion’, to which I just laughed! Yes. I know. I ran out of time!

Unhelpful Responses

I am self-diagnosed, not yet formally diagnosed. With such a personal, lightbulb moment I was ill-prepared for the various responses to my news: …It’s likely just perimenopause; it’s probably a fallout from Covid and lockdowns; ADHD isn’t real; you must have unresolved childhood trauma; everyone is a little bit disorganised and forgetful; if we can just help you find some time management strategies… These were all well-intended responses, but stung a bit, particularly since a further ADHD trait that resonates is emotional sensitivity. From my perspective, it seemed so crystal clear what my struggles and challenges were about. But this unexpected array of responses made me wobble too – perhaps I was over-exaggerating, making it up, just needed to try harder with my organisation and time management. Of course, this way of thinking is unhelpful and invalidating. I am incredibly grateful to my supervisor who just listened to my sudden ADHD reflections and never once judged or commented. I have learned the hard way that I need to block out time so that I can drift into my delightful state of hyperfocus. Whilst equally when procrastination hits, mostly I have stopped fighting against it and I change tack and get something else done, even if that is a mundane task of emptying the dishwasher; the time is no longer wasted, I have just pivoted.

Final Thoughts

My ADHD is still a journey of discovery. It’s currently 3.53am and it is the first time I have given in to my busy brain and experimented to see what would happen if I got up and typed this out of my head! I will leave others to judge if it is of interest or help to those reading this. It is what it is. And I am who I am! The friends and colleagues whose words have warmed me the most are those who simply accepted this additional information – ‘we appreciate you as you are’. I can’t thank them enough, because in doing so they have helped me keep things in balance and remind me of the strengths that my complicated brain brings with it – the high energy, the need to have fun and share a joke online, the endless ideas I bring and the willingness to look for connections and find solutions.

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Jennifer Kotler is a doctoral candidate in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. She developed severe ADHD at age 8, and learned to use her disability as a benefit, eventually focusing on public engagement and education around sexual violence.

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Ph.D. with ADHD brings can-do focus to science, life

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Harvard Correspondent

Jennifer Kotler: ‘It’s really difficult to separate your personality, your identity, from your diagnosis’

This is the first in a series of profiles showcasing some of Harvard’s stellar graduates.

In third grade, Jennifer “Jenna” Kotler was perfectly happy counting the tiles in the classroom ceiling instead of doing her work. What she tried hard to do was sit quietly like her classmates in their French-immersion school in Toronto.

Sitting quietly isn’t a requirement at Harvard, a place no one ever expected Kotler to land. At age 8, she was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), a learning disability that can challenge even the most determined student.

“I was not disruptive, never got into physical altercations or had vocal modulation,” Kotler said. “But my third-grade teacher knew I had a learning disorder because I could not do the written work. My mom had to stand behind me with her thumbs in my ears and her hands around my eyes so I could finish a page of multiplication tables.”

Twenty years later, Kotler is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Organismic & Evolutionary Biology (OEB) at Harvard’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. An evolutionary theorist, she uses clinical and genetic studies to reinterpret how humans think about health, disease, and the human evolutionary path, especially as it relates to biological and psychological development.

David Haig , the George Putnam Professor of Biology and Kotler’s doctoral adviser, worked with her to create an interdisciplinary research program that would accommodate her condition. While she doesn’t count the ceiling tiles in her brightly lighted office at the Harvard Museum of Natural History , Kotler still spends nearly every waking moment combating her ADHD, which affects both her memory and her personality.

“My brain works differently … I struggle daily with how to be in the workplace and constantly monitor myself,” Kotler said. “I’m really enthusiastic and eager, so I talk a lot, and really loudly. I interrupt a lot, and can be distracting to others. I’m extremely friendly, and tend to come on very strong. It sets you up for a lot of heartbreak, because that’s not how people typically interact.”

Kotler credits her early ADHD diagnosis with summoning a mission to help others who face arduous paths and learning to convert her own challenging characteristics into strengths.

“It’s really difficult to separate your personality, your identity, from your diagnosis. They are deeply connected,” Kotler said. “Most of the training I got through school was how to be successful there, which was important, but not sufficient when you are trying to survive the rest of the world. I needed support.”

She got that growing up in a family of feminists and activists. Outings with her parents often involved bringing snacks to teachers on a picket line, or sitting with striking daycare workers. Her early engagement in local activism, and her rejection of gender stereotyping, grew into a commitment to social justice.

“I never felt like I wasn’t smart because of ADHD; my parents did not emphasize my diagnosis, and my family talked to me about complicated issues,” she said. “They knew I was capable and also knew I needed to learn the skills to get things done.”

Kotler combined multiple therapies, including neurofeedback, focus training, and muscle-relaxation exercises, to manage her symptoms, but it was years before she could sit still in a classroom. As an undergraduate at McMaster University, studying psychology, neuroscience, and behavior, she often needed to Skype with her mother to do her work.

“It was hard for me to sit and do the work alone. I have some hyperactivity,” she said. “I just needed to know somebody was there helping me.”

One of Kotler’s favorite strategies to combat ADHD is to ask a lot of questions, a habit that makes her a great conversationalist and a welcome participant in GSAS social events such as “Science by the Pint” during Wintersession 2014.

Rose Lincoln/Harvard file photo

After graduating, Kotler worked at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto as a research assistant in psychosocial oncology, palliative care, and bereavement, a field in which she retains an interest.

But it was the dynamic between genes and kinship — how genes evolve in interdependent relationships — that drew her to Harvard in 2012 to explore evolutionary medicine.

While her academic focus was on pregnancy, parent-offspring relationships, and sexual development, Kotler also turned her attention to sexual violence treatment advocacy. In 2015 she joined the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (BARCC) as a volunteer hotline counselor. (She is now a peer supervisor.) Kotler said her struggles with ADHD have produced an ability to connect with women in difficult circumstances; she uses her scientific training to look at the biological drivers of sexual violence — including the role of evolutionary genetics.

“People are afraid of asking the biological questions about sexual violence because it’s so emotionally wrought,” Kotler said. “But putting it in the lens of a public health issue is more scientifically accurate and can form better education programs and better, broader policy.”

“Jenna provides a lot of support around very serious stuff, and she does it with such a positive, caring energy,” said BARCC senior hotline coordinator Jesse Moskowitz. “People feel so confident, calm, and prepared after spending time with her. It’s obvious she operates from the heart in everything.”

At Harvard, Kotler organized “Ladies Who Lab,” an OEB departmental group that addresses women’s issues, helps resolve conflicts, and shares pertinent research about women and their roles in science education and academia. She also works with the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Action Coalition, helping organize political advocacy and education programs, workshops, and campaigns.

“I’ve always been really interested and engaged in women’s rights and gender politics,” she said. “It can be scary, but I’m always optimistic about positive outcomes, which is why I’m good at talking about death and dying, cancer, and rape. If I can do something to help, I want to” — and that includes drawing on her own experience to encourage others.

“For a long time, I could not be left to my own devices, I needed somebody there helping me. I would be struggling trying to do the same thing for four days and I couldn’t do it. But it’s doable,” she said. “If people don’t talk about their diagnosis or coping skills, others won’t know it’s a realistic option. I’m at Harvard, going to be a Ph.D., it’s positive to talk about.”

Kotler has strategies to maintain what her family used to call the F-word: focus. There are the snuggles she receives from Juno, the support dog always by her side. She has copious notepads for writing down all the things she needs to remember; she schedules almost everything and checks her calendar frequently; and she uses Pomodoro, a timer-based application that breaks down tasks into 25-minute chunks.

One of her favorite strategies is to ask questions. Everybody has something to add, she said, and she can learn things she may not have known otherwise.

Self-acceptance? That she’s got down.

“I always liked who I am, being quirky and unique. I’m not ever going to be perfect,” Kotler said. “But now I’m not afraid to say yeah, I’ve worked really hard, I’m capable, successful, and this is how I got here.”

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Eight Tips for Navigating Graduate School with Adult ADHD

Written by Susan Helmick, Graduate Assistant for the Graduate College

Graduate school can be a rewarding though demanding endeavor, requiring management of multiple obligations, from coursework and research to teaching and personal commitments. For those with Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), these challenges can be amplified.  

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder often diagnosed in grade school, but for many the signs and symptoms only become apparent in later life as problems with attention, impulse control, and hyperactivity mount in tandem with increasing roles and responsibilities. It’s important to recognize that many adults struggle with ADHD symptoms, which can manifest differently in a high-pressure academic setting.

October is ADHD Awareness Month , an opportunity to encourage open discussions, reduce stigma and underscore the importance of appropriate treatment and support for individuals with ADHD. While ADHD is often associated with challenges in focus, attention, and organization, it can also inspire unique strengths, creativity, and resilience when managed effectively with the right tools. 

Challenges Faced by Graduate Students with ADHD

Graduate students with ADHD confront specific challenges that can frustrate their academic success. Common difficulties include:

Time Management: Balancing numerous deadlines can be tough for anyone, but for those with ADHD, who have more difficulty prioritizing tasks and managing time effectively, time management can be overwhelming.

Organization: Organizing research materials, class notes, and schedules can be a Herculean task. Grad students with ADHD may find themselves buried under piles of papers or digital clutter, making it difficult to locate critical information when needed.

Procrastination: Procrastination is a common coping mechanism for those with ADHD, and it can lead to increased stress as deadlines approach.

Distractions: The graduate school environment can be rife with distractions, from busy labs to noisy classrooms. These distractions can exacerbate difficulties with attention and focus.

Stress and Anxiety: The constant juggling of tasks can lead to heightened levels of stress and anxiety, which can worsen ADHD symptoms.

Management Techniques for Graduate Students with ADHD

Fortunately, there are numerous strategies and resources that can help graduate students with ADHD succeed academically. Here are eight empowering and effective ways to manage ADHD, whether you're personally impacted or providing support to someone who is:

• Time Management Tools: Utilize time management tools and apps such as calendars, to-do lists, and task organizers. Set specific and achievable goals, and break down larger tasks into smaller, manageable steps. Task manager apps like Todoist can help keep track of projects, tasks and lists while productivity trackers like RescueTime can provide insight into personal productivity to boost focus and block distractions.
• Prioritization: Determine the most critical tasks and tackle them first. Creating a clear list of priorities can help you stay focused on what truly matters. Apps like Finish categorize tasks into short term, medium term and long-term categories and remind users to complete them based on prioritization, automatically moving them into new categories as deadlines approach.
• Mindfulness and Meditation: Practicing mindfulness and meditation can help improve attention and reduce anxiety. Regular mindfulness exercises can also aid in controlling impulsivity. UC students have access to Calm , a mindfulness app offering guided meditations, among other relaxation techniques. Simply log in with your current username and password to take advantage of the free subscription.You can create an account by using your UC (6+2) email.
• Minimize Distractions: Identify your primary distractions and develop strategies to minimize them. This might involve studying in a quiet space, using noise-canceling headphones, or setting specific times for focused work.  Focus@will , developed in conjunction with neuroscientists, utilizes uniquely engineered audio to help improve focus during work or study. Need a more drastic solution? The Freedom app can block specific websites, apps or the internet across all devices during times you need to work or study. 
• Body Doubling: Body doubling involves working with another individual, a kind of “accountability buddy,” in-person or remotely, to improve concentration and task motivation. Apps and services like Flow Club , FLOWN , and Focusmate all offer virtual options to help you stay focused and get things done.
• Academic Support and Counseling Services: Accessibility Resources offers services and accommodations for University of Cincinnati students with ADHD and other specific support needs. Students can also schedule time with a UC CAPS counselor to discuss ADHD challenges and develop personalized strategies.
• ADHD Coaches: Consider working with an ADHD coach, a professional who specializes in helping individuals with ADHD develop strategies for success. Web sites like  Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) , the ADHD Coaches Organization , and the A.D.D. Resource Center  can help identify coaching professionals with specific training and expertise.
• Medication Management: Medication management is often included as a component of a comprehensive ADHD treatment plan to help manage the symptoms of ADHD. It’s typically monitored and performed by a healthcare provider, such as a psychiatrist pr psychologist, who specializes in ADHD treatment. University Health Services can help find the right referral or treatment plan for your particular needs.

Navigating graduate school can be a tremendous undertaking, with or without ADHD. By recognizing the unique challenges, implementing effective management techniques, and utilizing available resources, graduate students with ADHD can excel. Remember that seeking help and support is a sign of strength and success is possible with just a little initiative and the right game plan. 

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Too many tabs open: Doing a PhD with ADHD

Imagine you’re cycling through 50 browser tabs at once, 2 of them are playing different TedTalks from YouTube at full volume and another is stuck in a 5-second loop of that song you heard the other day – oh, and you can’t close any of them. Now imagine, saturated in all that noise, you have to do your research. This is a taste of what it’s like to be a PGR with ADHD. Blogger Riss shares their experience.

By Riss Muller

Whether it’s “that thing where kids can’t sit still”, simple laziness, or something that’s just another excuse, most people have some preconceived idea of what they think ADHD is. But the truth is most people don’t know what ADHD is or how it affects those who have it. ADHD is a complex condition that presents in a variety of ways. Just as each individual is different, it’s unlikely that two ADHDers will report identical experiences with their condition. A common thread though, is that it makes virtually all areas of life significantly harder and, in some cases, completely unmanageable. So, before we get into how my ADHD mixes with my PhD, I want to bust some common myths about what ADHD actually is.

What is ADHD, really?

“ ADHD is a complex condition that presents in a variety of ways. Just as each individual is different, it’s unlikely that two ADHDers will report identical experiences with their condition. “

ADHD stands for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and there are three different subtypes:

• Primarily Inattentive – people mainly struggle with sustaining attention, following instructions, distractibility, attending to details, listening to others, and being forgetful due to poor working memory.
• Primarily Hyperactive/Impulsive – people mainly struggle with feeling constantly on the go, interrupting others, fidgeting, excessive talking, forgetting things, and a lack of impulse control.
• Combined Type – the most common subtype, characterized by a clear mix of all symptoms.

I have ADHD-PI (primarily inattentive) but with high levels of mental hyperactivity. This means I deal with all the inattentiveness, forgetfulness, and distractibility of ADHD-PI but with a side order of constant racing thoughts which rarely turn off. Alongside the symptoms which characterise these subtypes, there are also symptoms common to everyone with ADHD, such as rejection sensitivity, emotional dysregulation, and “time blindness” (the inability to accurately gauge how long tasks take).  

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder; it develops in childhood and, in the vast majority of cases, is present throughout a person’s life, and its cause is thought to be linked to a crucial neurotransmitter: dopamine. Without getting too scientific, dopamine is the “feel-good” hormone. It’s part of our motivation and reward system, responsible for giving us a sense of pleasure and incentivising even the most basic functions like eating and drinking. In the ADHD brain, however, there’s a dopamine deficit, so our brains are always on the hunt for another hit of it. We’re driven by interest , by whatever gives us a dopamine boost, and so people with ADHD constantly oscillate between two poles. On the one hand, we can be highly distractable, forgetful, impulsive, likely to lose track of time, have difficulty relaxing or sitting still…the list goes on and on. But, on the other hand, we can hyperfocus on a task, zeroing in on the thing which is giving us that vital dopamine hit. All other “noise” is blocked out and we lose ourselves in the task, sometimes for hours at a time (though often at the expense of temporarily losing our ability to discern hunger, thirst, and other bodily functions).

In short, ADHD is a disorder concerning the regulation of attention and executive function (the ability to do stuff, even when you don’t want to). It’s not that we can’t concentrate, sit still, or get things done, it’s that we can’t regulate these capacities.

ADHD + PhD = …?

You can probably guess by now that having ADHD and being a PhD student are at odds with one another. The former negatively impacts things like motivation, task prioritization, sustained attention, and time management. The latter demands them consistently and to a high standard. It’s kind of like playing a game on the highest difficulty level…and you don’t know the rules…and whilst everyone else got behind-the-scenes access to the game design, you never got the invite. It’s incredibly hard.

Whilst most PGRs can probably slog through the menial parts of their research, for the ADHDer if our brain says ‘no’ we can’t simply “push through” because we simply don’t have the necessary neurotransmitters available to incentivise the task; our brains are structured, and therefore function, differently. When we look at our to-do lists, figuring out which task is the most urgent can be a labour in itself and folding the laundry can seem equally as important as editing a draft chapter. If we get interrupted, we can’t always jump straight back in; it can take hours, and all of our energy, to resume what we were doing. Not to mention struggling to remember meetings, juggle academic and personal responsibilities, having so much mental noise we lose track of what’s being said to us, or worrying about appearing unprofessional if we lose our train of thought midsentence or blurt something out impulsively.

“It’s kind of like playing a game on the highest difficulty level…and you don’t know the rules…and whilst everyone else got behind-the-scenes access to the game design, you never got the invite. It’s incredibly hard. “

Personally, though, the hardest part is the emotional toll. ADHD has worryingly high rates of comorbidity with anxiety and depression (around 50%) with feelings of shame and low self-esteem being prevalent. Even before starting a PhD, those of us with ADHD are already battling imposter syndrome, low mood, and poor self-image. Why? Well, imagine you grew up always forgetting when your assignments are due, you interrupt people a lot, and you never seem to be able to turn up somewhere on time. People tell you you’re lazy, you’re rude, and you need to try harder…even though you’re already trying your hardest. You compare yourself to everyone around you and wonder why things seem so much easier for them and, in the end, you blame yourself. As an adult, you can’t seem to hold down a stable job, you have piles of laundry and dirty dishes everywhere , and you’re burnt out constantly from the energy you spend achieving the bare minimum. As a PGR, you turn up to the game, so to speak, having already run an emotional marathon.

I got my diagnosis, like most people assigned female at birth (AFAB) , later in life at age 25, a year before I applied for my PhD. Until that point, my academic track record was a mixed bag. I’d failed every A-Level exam (bar one), had extensions on all my undergraduate coursework, and could only manage reading about one article a week. But I also got As in my coursework (even in subjects where I’d failed the exams), managed two jobs alongside my Master’s, and graduated both degrees with Distinctions. I’d never questioned that I was disproportionately struggling, and it was only after the first semester of my Master’s that I spoke to a doctor because my physical health had taken a turn from constant burnout and being spread too thin trying to cope. Overcompensation, abysmal work/life boundaries, and a deep sense of shame were partly the root of my success at university, but I knew it was unsustainable and things needed to change – especially if I wanted a PhD.

“ I get to close those 50 browser tabs for a few hours each day thanks to medication and have learned strategies for managing my symptoms. I can finally exhale. “

Fast-forward a few years and now, at the beginning of my doctoral journey, I have my diagnosis and access to much-needed help. I get to close those 50 browser tabs for a few hours each day thanks to medication and have learned strategies for managing my symptoms. I can finally exhale.

Having ADHD and working towards a PhD is unbelievably challenging. But ADHD is also, in many ways, something to celebrate. Those of us with ADHD are some of the most creative and dynamic people you’ll meet and we care deeply and enthusiastically about the things we’re interested in. We’re excellent problem solvers, insatiably curious, and incredibly resilient people which, all in all, makes us pretty talented researchers – especially when we’re granted the right conditions to flourish.

If you feel there is something affecting your research, you can speak to Warwick’s Disability Services , who will help you get all the support you need. On the PhD Life blog, we have a whole section on student experiences of research, which you can explore here . If you feel like you have an experience you’d like to share, we regularly welcome guest writers to PhD Life, just email [email protected] for more information.

Did you find this blog helpful for your own experiences? If you related to it in some way, let us know in the comments below, by tweeting us @researchex or by messaging us on Instagram @warwicklibrary.

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ADHD and Graduate Writing

What this handout is about.

This handout outlines how ADHD can contribute to hitting the wall in graduate school. It describes common executive function challenges that grad students with ADHD might experience, along with tips, strategies, and resources for navigating the writing demands of grad school with ADHD.

Challenges for graduate students with ADHD

Many graduate students hit the wall (lose focus, productivity, and direction) when they reach the proposal, thesis, or dissertation phase—when they have a lot of unstructured time and when their external accountability system is gone. Previously successful strategies aren’t working for them anymore, and they aren’t making satisfactory progress on their research.

In many ways, hitting the wall is a normal part of the grad school experience, but ADHD, whether diagnosed or undiagnosed, can amplify the challenges of graduate school because success depends heavily on executive functioning. ADHD expert Russell Barkley explains that people with ADHD have difficulty with some dimensions of executive function, including working memory, motivation, planning, and problem solving. For grad students, those difficulties may emerge as these kinds of challenges:

• Being forgetful and having difficulty keeping things organized.
• Not remembering anything they’ve read in the last few hours or the last few minutes.
• Not remembering anything they’ve written or the argument they’ve been developing.
• Finding it hard to determine a research topic because all topics are appealing.
• Easily generating lots of new ideas but having difficulty organizing them.
• Being praised for creativity but struggling with coherence in writing, often not noticing logical leaps in their own writing.
• Having difficulty breaking larger projects into smaller chunks and/or accurately estimating the time required for each task.
• Difficulty imposing structure on large blocks of time and finishing anything without externally set deadlines.
• Spending an inordinate amount of time (like 5 hours) developing the perfect plan for accomplishing tasks (like 3 hours of reading).
• Having trouble switching tasks—working for hours on one thing (like refining one sentence), often with no awareness of time passing.
• Conversely, having trouble focusing on a single task–being easily distracted by external or internal competitors for their attention.
• Being extremely sensitive to or upset by criticism, even when it’s meant to be constructive.
• Struggling with advisor communications, especially when the advisors don’t have a strict structure, e.g., establishing priorities, setting clear timelines, enforcing deadlines, providing timely feedback, etc.

If you experience these challenges in a way that is persistent and problematic, check out our ADHD resources page and consider talking to our ADHD specialists at the Learning Center to talk through how you can regain or maintain focus and productivity.

Strategies for graduate students with ADHD

Writing a thesis or dissertation is a long, complex process. The list below contains a variety of strategies that have been helpful to grad students with ADHD. Experiment with the suggestions below to find what works best for you.

Reading and researching

Screen reading software allows you to see and hear the words simultaneously. You can control the pace of reading to match your focus. If it’s easier to focus while you’re physically active, try using a screen reader so you can listen to journal articles while you take a walk or a run or while you knit or doodle–or whatever movement helps you focus. Find more information about screen readers and everything they can do on the ARS Technology page .

Citation management systems can help you keep your sources organized. Most systems enable you to enter notes, add tags, save pdfs, and search. Some allow you to annotate pdfs, export to other platforms, or collaborate on projects. See the UNC Health Sciences Library comparison of citation managers to learn more about options and support.

Synthesis matrix is a fancy way of saying “spreadsheet,” but it’s a spreadsheet that helps you keep your notes organized. Set the spreadsheet up with a column for the full citations and additional columns for themes, like “research question,” “subjects,” “theoretical perspective,” or anything that you could productively document. The synthesis matrix allows you to look at all of the notes on a single theme across multiple publications, making it easier for you to analyze and synthesize. It saves you the trouble of shuffling through lots of highlighted articles or random pieces of paper with scribbled notes. See these example matrices on Autism , Culturally Responsive Pedagogy , and Translingualism .

Topic selection

Concept maps (also called mind maps) represent information visually through diagrams, flowcharts, timelines, etc. They can help you document ideas and see relationships you might be interested in pursuing. See examples on the Learning Center’s Concept Map handout . Search the internet for “concept-mapping software” or “mind-mapping software” to see your many choices.

Advisor meetings can help you reign in all of the interesting possibilities and focus on a viable, manageable project. Try to narrow the topics down to 3-5 and discuss them with your advisor. Be ready to explain why each interests you and how you would see the project developing. Work with your advisor to set goals and a check-in schedule to help you stay on track. They can also help you sort what needs to be considered now and what’s beyond the scope of the dissertation—tempting though it may be to include everything possible.

Eat the elephant one bite at a time. Break the dissertation project down into bite-sized pieces so you don’t get overwhelmed by the enormity of the whole project. The pieces can be parts of the text (e.g., the introduction) or the process (e.g., brainstorming or formatting tables). Enlist your advisor, other grad students, or anyone you think might help you figure out manageable chunks to work on, discuss reasonable times for completion, and help you set up accountability systems.

Tame perfectionism and separate the processes . Writers with ADHD will often try to perfect a single sentence before moving on to the next one, to the point that it’s debilitating. Start with drafting for ideas, knowing that you’re going to write a lot of sentences that will change later. Allow the ideas to flow, then set aside times to revise for ideas and to polish the prose.

List questions you could answer as a way of brainstorming and organizing information.

Make a slideshow of your key points for each section, chapter, or the entire dissertation. Hit the highlights without getting mired in the details as you draft the big picture.

Give a presentation to an imaginary (or real) audience to help you flesh out your ideas and try to articulate them coherently. The presentation can be planned or spontaneous as a brainstorming strategy. Give your presentation out loud and use dictation software to capture your thoughts.

Use dictation software to transcribe your speech into words on a screen. If your brain moves faster than your fingers can type, or if you constantly backspace over imperfectly written sentences, dictation software can capture the thoughts as they come to you and preserve all of your phrasings. You can review, organize, and revise later. Any device with a microphone (like your phone) will do the trick. See various speech to text tools on the ARS Technology page .

Turn off the monitor and force yourself to write for five, ten, twenty minutes, or however long it takes to dump your brain onto the screen. If you can’t see the words, you can’t scrutinize and delete them prematurely.

Use the Pomodoro technique . Set a timer for 25 minutes, write as much as you can during that time, take a five-minute break, and then do it again. After four 25-minute segments, take a longer break. The timer puts a helpful limit on the writing session that can motivate you to produce. It also keeps you aware of the passage of time, helping you stay focused and keeping your time more structured.

Sprints or marathons? Some people find it helpful to break down the writing process into smaller tasks and work on a number of tasks in smaller sprints. However, some people with ADHD find managing a number of tasks overwhelming, so for them, a “marathon write” may be a good idea. A marathon write doesn’t have to mean last-minute writing. Try to plan ahead, stock up on food for as many days as you plan to write, and think about how you’ll care for yourself during the long stretch of writing.

Minimize distractions . Turn off the internet, find a suitable place (quiet, ambient noise, etc.), minimize disruptions from other people (family, office mates, etc.), and use noise-canceling headphones or earplugs if they help. If you catch your thoughts wandering, write down whatever is distracting and you can attend to it later when you finish.

Seek feedback for clarity . Mind-wandering is a big asset for people with ADHD as it boosts creativity. Expansive, big-picture thinking is also an asset because it allows you to imagine complex systems. However, these things can also make graduate students with ADHD struggle with maintaining logical coherence. When you ask for feedback, specify logical coherence as a concern so your reader has a focus. If you’d like to look at your logic before you seek feedback, see our 2-minute video on reverse outlining .

Seek feedback for community . Talking to people about your ideas for writing will help you stay connected at a time when it’s easy to fade into a dark hole. Check out this handout on getting feedback .

Time management and accountability

Enlist your advisor . Graduate students with ADHD might worry about the perception that they’re “gaming the system” if they disclose their ADHD. Or they might struggle with an advisor with a more hands-off mentoring style. It will be helpful to be explicit about your neurodiversity and your potential need for a structure. Ask your advisor to clarify the expectations specifically (even quantify them), and work with them to come up with a clear timeline and a regular check-in schedule.

Enlist other mentors . Your advisor may be less understanding and/or may not be able to provide enough structure, or you may think it’s a good idea to have more than one person on your structure team. Look for other mentors on your faculty (inside or outside of your committee), and talk to senior grad students about their strategies.

Pay attention to your body rhythms . When do you feel most creative? Most focused? Most energetic? Or the least creative, focused, energetic? What activities could you engage in during those times? How can you do them consistently?

Think about task vs. time . It can be difficult to estimate how long a task is going to take, so think about setting a time limit for working on something. Set a timer, work for that amount of time, and change tasks when the time is over.

Tame hyperfocus . If you have trouble switching tasks, ask a friend or colleague to “interrupt” you, or figure out a system you can use to interrupt yourself. For example, when you find yourself trying to fix a sentence for 30 minutes, you can call a friend for a brief conversation about another topic. People with ADHD often find this helps them to look at the work from a more objective perspective when they return to it.

Set SMART goals . Check out the handout on setting SMART goals to help you set up a regular research and writing routine.

Set up a reward system . Tie your research or writing goal to an enjoyable reward. Note that it can also be pre-ward – something you do beforehand that will help you feel refreshed and motivated to work.

Find accountability buddies . These can be people you update on your progress or people you meet with to get work done together. Oftentimes, the simple presence of other people is able to motivate and keep us focused. This “body-doubling” strategy is particularly helpful for people with ADHD. Look for events like the Dissertation Boot Camp or IME Writing Wednesdays .

Find virtual accountability partners . There are a number of online platforms to connect you with virtual work partners. See this article on strategies and things to consider.

Use productivity and focus apps . Check out some recommendations among the Learning Center’s ADHD/LD Resources . To find the best options for you, try Googling “Apps for focus and productivity” to find reviews of timers and other focus apps.

Learn more about accountability . See the Learning Center’s Accountability Strategies page for great information and resources.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Barkley, R. (2022, July 11). What is executive function? 7 deficits tied to ADHD . ADDitude: Inside the ADHD Mind. https://www.additudemag.com/7-executive-function-deficits-linked-to-adhd/

Hallowell, E. and Ratey, J. (2021). ADHD 2.0: New science and essential strategies for thriving with distraction—from childhood through adulthood . Random House Books.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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• Published: 21 March 2022

Pursuing a scientific career with ADHD

• James E. Brown   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-3504-7373 1  

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Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder presents considerable barriers to a successful research career. Universities need to start taking this into account to ensure that talented researchers are retained in the sector and given an equal opportunity to succeed.

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Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Dr A. C. Conner, University of Birmingham, for supporting the preparation of this article and for advocating for more support for ADHD in academia.

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Ph.D. with ADHD Brings Can-Do Focus to Science, Life

PhD student, Jennifer Kotler ( Haig Lab) is first in a  series  of profiles in the Harvard Gazette  featuring some of Harvard’s stellar graduates. Diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) at age 8, Jennifer spent years combining multiple therapies to manage her symptoms and credits the help of her family and early ADHD diagnosis for her mission to help others who face similar arduous paths. 

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Grad School and ADHD

Jax Sanders , Ph.D. Student, Physics

by Jax Sanders | Dec 8, 2011 | Student Voices

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 4.1% of the U.S. adult population has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. I’m one of that 4.1%; in August, I was diagnosed with ADHD, primarily inattentive. Like most adults diagnosed with ADHD, I had ADHD as a child, but my symptoms did not become problematic until I was under so much stress that my coping mechanisms were no longer sufficient. In my case, that stress was graduate school, and I spent much of my first two years severely impaired. The worst part of it was that to an outside observer, my difficulties looked for all the world like laziness, while from the inside, everything felt overwhelming.

The DSM-IV states that for an adult ADHD diagnosis, “There must be clear evidence of significant impairment in social, school, or work functioning.” Before graduate school, I wouldn’t have qualified for a diagnosis, because I didn’t feel impaired. I rejoiced in the strange ways my brain works, the tangential intuitive leaps, the great creativity, and the ability to keep many tasks going at once. Since the symptoms of my iteration of ADHD include issues with self-motivation, lack of focus, and difficulty working in advance, graduate school made it feel less like an adventure and more like a serious disability. I compared experiences with another recently diagnosed graduate student while writing this article, and he agreed with the particular difficulty of ADHD-inattentive with graduate school work.

Both of us were asked to leave our first research groups because of the effects of our ADHD symptoms. I often lost my train of thought with my research entirely, taking a full week to complete tasks that I know should have taken a few hours at most. The feeling of inadequacy when compared to student who could do productive work 12-15 hours a day was punishing, as was my negative self-talk about my lack of productivity. I intellectually knew I was intelligent, but when I couldn’t focus, when I was doing poorly in my classes, when I was falling behind on my grading… I felt like I wasn’t smart enough, and that I never could be smart enough.

I felt inadequate outside of graduate school as well. I’d been living outside of my parents’ house since 2006, but I couldn’t seem to get on top of the basic tasks of self-sufficient adulthood. My house was never clean, and I couldn’t find the motivation to care. Dishes were the worst; I would leave one meal’s dishes to deal with later, then another, then I’d reach a tipping point where I’d feel like I could never finish the dishes and just leave them there. I was also failing at feeding myself. I couldn’t seem to plan ahead well enough to make meals for when I was hungry, and even when I did, I convinced myself that I needed to get things done for school and I didn’t have the time to make food. My friend also experienced this difficulty with planning and acquiring food; he solved it by ordering in too often, while I went the equally unhealthy road of eating far too little. 

In retrospect, it was not only my ADHD that was causing the chaos in my life over the past two years. My version of ADHD has performance-related anxiety along with it, and when my ADHD caused me to perform poorly in school, my anxiety would act up, which would make it even harder for me to focus, which would make the anxiety worse, and eventually I’d lose the ability to do anything but curl up on the couch, not drink the cup of tea next to me, and stare at the internet. Since this was keeping me from pursuing the science career I’d dreamed about since I was 10, I developed depressive symptoms. I didn’t notice until later, but I stopped enjoying things. I’d been an amateur jazz musician in college, and I didn’t listen to music much. I didn’t read books for pleasure. I didn’t feel like dancing, or making new friends, or really much of anything.

Having my official diagnosis helped a lot. The staff at CAPS made it very clear that I wasn’t lazy, I was having legitimate problems, and that they would be there to help me succeed with my ADHD however I wanted. I’ve enjoyed being part of the ADHD group at CAPS, where we talk about our experiences, think about new strategies, and work on improving our focus and relationship to the world using mindfulness meditation. Many of the other members have similar stories; we’re all very smart people doing very difficult things, and we all suddenly couldn’t cope. The support group got me started on a lot of strategies that help me greatly. My two favorites are using timers to break extended tasks into short bites, and “thinking like a waiter”.

By using timers, I can get a rational understanding of how long tasks actually take, which keeps me from falling into the pattern of thinking that I can never finish them. For example, a full kitchen of dirty dishes takes about fifteen minutes to clean. Once I was able to conceptualize that, the cleanliness of my kitchen became far less stressful. “Thinking like a waiter” is the concept of doing small things as you see them, and not giving yourself time to put them on a growing mental task list. E-mail correspondence doesn’t get forgotten, coffee cups don’t get left in my office to mold, and great ideas don’t get lost because I forgot to write them down. Strategies don’t solve everything for me, but they help a lot.

As of this writing, I’ve started the second week of my medication trial. The psychiatrist at CAPS and I decided on starting with Concerta, an extended-release form of Ritalin, and so far, it’s been working extremely well. The first improvement I noticed was that I could filter out background noise. I was able to notice that the HVAC in my office was on, but it wasn’t a distraction, and it didn’t keep me from focusing. The pervasive brain fog that had plagued me for months lifted almost immediately. I could focus on things when I wanted or needed to, and I could just as easily stop focusing on them. Fortunately, I appear to tolerate them extremely well; the only side effects I’ve had were an odd twitch in my right eye the first day and a sharp loss of appetite. I lost five pounds that I wasn’t actually interested in losing in the first four days on the medication. The other grad student who helped me with this article is on Adderall tablets. He’s seen a lot of the same positives as I have, but a few different side effects. At times, he’s felt his heart racing for no reason, and he’s had problems with a dry throat.

Although both of us have experienced a great improvement during treatment, we both have some nervousness related to talking about our ADHD to specific people. The other graduate student is anxious about telling his advisor, since he feels like he’s on thin ice with him already. His greatest fear is that if he tells his advisor, he’ll respond that if he’s having so many problems with ADHD, he should leave with his master’s and try working a normal job instead of continuing in academia. I leave his identity unmentioned for this reason, but thank him for volunteering his experience. I’m worried about telling my mom that I’ve started taking medication. When I was telling her about my experience with counseling and my diagnosis, she was vehemently against the idea of me going on medication, even though I hadn’t mentioned the possibility of talking to a psychiatrist. I hope that if she finds this post, any uncomfortable conversations that follow will at least be based in a knowledge of how severe my symptoms have been, and not an assumption that I’m using the ADHD as an excuse to be lazy.

Now, I’m starting to enjoy things again, listening to more music, learning about new ideas, and socializing with new friends. I’m really looking forward to getting back to fully enjoying my ADHD. At its best, the ADHD brain has some powerful gifts. I’ve missed being able to appreciate the fact that my brain doesn’t have a box to think outside of, and the powerful, chaotic creativity that drives my work. I know that I’ll never be truly detail-oriented, but at the same time, I won’t trip over details when trying to understand the full scope of a problem. I can keep multiple tasks running in my mind, but I can also access hyperfocus, a unique, strange, and intense state of absolute interest and focus. All of the treatment, both pharmaceutical and psychological, won’t make me stop having ADHD, but it will make my ADHD an asset rather than a profound disability.

Do you see aspects of your experience in mine? If you’re distressed by your brain, there are free resources on campus. CAPS, in the Michigan Union, does ADHD screenings and counseling. The evaluation takes two to three sessions. The drop-in ADHD group on Monday at noon has been an extremely valuable resource for me. There are staff psychiatrists at CAPS, and there’s a waiting period of a month after diagnosis for medication evaluation. An ADHD diagnosis can also entitle you to formal accommodations through Services for Students with Disabilities. If you have trouble completing exams in the time allotted due to distractions or mental blanks, more exam time or a quiet room for exams is a typical accommodation. I meet with an academic coach there, and she has been extremely helpful in helping me recognize where my ADHD was causing me difficulties in time management.

ADHD is a real disorder that can cause significant amounts of distress and impairment in everyday life. It is not an excuse for laziness; it’s a difference in the brain. Adult ADHD is often not obvious because the public concept of the disorder is that ADHD is for small, hyper children, not intelligent adult graduate students who suddenly can’t cope with their workload. Furthermore, ADHD isn’t a state of being “abnormal.” I vastly prefer to say that I’m not neurotypical. Being typical is fine for some things, but when you’re working on difficult creative problems, having typical thought processes can be a detriment. The way my brain works might not be common, average, or pedestrian, but when it works with me instead of against me, it’s a powerful advantage.

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The PhD Experience

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My PhD and My ADHD

There is a ‘rule of thirds’ when diagnosing Attention Hyperactive Deficit Disorder: One-third of children who are diagnosed with ADHD grow out of it, one-third continue to display symptoms in adulthood, and the remaining third represents those who are undiagnosed, able to mask their symptoms just enough to get by. I was the latter.

The (non)diagnosis

When I was 11, a psychologist pulled me out of class to evaluate me for the school’s gifted program. She brought me to a white-washed room, and sat me on a ‘big person’ chair across from her at a long conference table. For over two hours, I answered countless questions, reordered pictured tiles, and matched abstract shapes. I thought the whole thing was quite fun, but after it was over I didn’t think much more of it.

When my results came in a confidential envelope, my parents raved about my IQ scores, which allowed admission into the gifted program. However, they failed to mention to me, or even acknowledge themselves, that a discrepancy in my scoring patterns had been highlighted. A discrepancy that suggested I had a learning disability.

My test results were eventually tucked away in a folder in my parents’ filing cabinet. It wasn’t until I was in my early twenties that I looked at them again. Searching for answers that might explain my recent difficulties at university, I read the document in a different light. My psychological evaluation from 15 years ago would end up becoming my Rosetta Stone, confirming long-harboured suspicions and frustrations that I might have ADHD. ‘A relative weakness was indicated on tasks measuring her ability to attend to details, visual memory, and the ability to concentrate… she is impatient and anxious to complete the tasks.’

What is it?

ADHD is a neurobiological condition that affects the part of the brain that controls attention, impulses, and concentration. It affects 3-7 percent of children in the UK, and although it was thought that the disorder is outgrown in adolescence, recent research has shown that ADHD often exists into adulthood. Common symptoms are:

• short attention span
• easily distracted
• frequent, careless mistakes
• forgetfulness
• inability to work through time-consuming tasks
• inability to sit still
• little or no sense of danger (my middle name is indeed, ‘danger’)

While everyone experiences these symptoms occasionally in singular form, having ADHD is a constant and unwavering conglomeration of them. Nevertheless, our culture has associated a stigma with the disorder. ADHD frequents casual conversation as an adjective (‘ you’re acting ADHD’ ), is often believed to be a fake mental condition, and is commonly misdiagnosed and over diagnosed in America.

ADHD and the PHD

Growing up, I always knew my brain worked a bit differently than others. I had a difficult time focusing during class, but I taught myself to fill in the missing pieces, and worked hard to make it look like I was paying attention (even though I was not). With my parents’ persistence that ‘nothing was wrong’, I persevered and did well in school. My coping methods continued to work through my undergraduate years, however, they fell short in graduate school.

In class, I struggled to pay attention to lecturers and peers, despite being interested. I had no confidence in seminars because I found it impossible to form my own opinions during a discussion.  If I dared to take part in class conversation, I knew that my scattered attention span limited my ability to bring up a constructive –or even relevant– point.

Just because words were coming out of my mouth, it did not mean that my focus was channelled. My mind would abruptly jump elsewhere before I could finish vocalising a thought. I really struggled using the right words at the right times, and I often lost track of what I was saying mid-sentence. I frequently had to apologise and ask to be reminded of what I was talking about in the first place.

Now, when you apply these unfortunate tendencies to the intensive reading and writing required of postgraduates, it is no surprise that my methods of ‘faking it’ began to fall short. The nature of graduate school made me recognise that I was unable to control, or even follow, my own thought patterns. I shared my concerns to my GP, and she recommended that I track the frequency of my distractions. At the follow-up appointment, I came back frustrated with my efforts, ‘You asked me to pay attention to how often I am getting distracted, my problem is that my distraction is so normal to me, I don’t even realise when my mind diverts to something else.’ She agreed to refer me.

The whole process from referral to diagnosis took five months. During that span, the doctor concluded that I was among the third of children whose ADHD diagnosis slipped through the cracks. To prove her suspicions, she pointed to my bouncing leg, and said that I was intermittently fidgeting the whole time I was sat in my chair. My diagnosis, she explained, would be the start of a 6-month period of ‘self-reflection’. When that was over, I would have the option to try medication. Meanwhile, I began to identify with the fact that ADHD was an explanation of my behaviour, not an excuse.

Photo from the July, 1925 issue of the Science and Invention magazine. It was claimed that the “Isolator Machine” helped focus the mind when reading or writing. Thankfully, in this modern day and age, I have other options.

In my next instalment, I will talk about the positive changes I experienced after my diagnoses and discuss some tips I have learned along the way for helping one focus, especially in the graduate school environment. Meanwhile, if you suspect that you may have ADHD, or any other learning disability, act like a graduate student. Do your research, then talk to your GP. It’s not so scary to start getting the help you need, especially when the first step is already second nature.

Images 1 & 2: Authors own; Image 3:  Science and Invention Magazine , 1925.

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Krystenblackstone.

March 31, 2017

identity , mental health , phd , PhDilemmas , Real Life

August 3, 2020 at 9:45 am

I manged to go and be inrolled in 5 different schools (0th to 10 th class). In the first one my parents took me out because I had reading/writing problems, hence teachers and school administration suspected inferior IQ… I scored an IQ indicating that I should be ~ 13 years old and not 9 years old. In highschool, thou nature and science was my favoured subjects I managed to get the best scores in writing/oral-presentation of my native primary language, which I did not master in writing and reading before the age of ~ 13 years old.

After various travels and jobs the year after high school I started in University. Thou I had plenty of different jobs meanwhile studying… retrospective the job as one of the first bike-taxi-drivers in my capital city was deffently my favourite one… probably because of the non-ties and physical exercise, mostly positive interpersonal human contact and good relative easy money.

It took me in total 8 years to graduate in 2008 with an A-score as Master of Science in Geology.

After university until 2014 I realized that what one is not taught in university is most important thing at a workplace… hence how to interpersonel interact after non-written rules… In 2014 after nummerous jobs that I lost – not do to lack of knowledge in applied science – but do to lack in knowledge in applied “non-logic” workplace rules, hence confrontations.

Since then I have lost an additionaly two jobs. The latter in 2016 with a major stress and depression lockdown. I have not been doing much – workwize since.

Best regards Another skilled human with late- diagnosed ADHD

October 19, 2020 at 12:15 pm

I just read your post. I am pursuing my PhD, for which I should be working right now, but of course I am distracted … searching how people at Graduate School got diagnosed, found out about ADHD or ADD. I hope my psychologist listens to me, whether I have ADD or not , this killing syntoms are here making me to struggle every day on making any progress. I have been reading about the topic and relating it to some life-time patterns. I really hope to get some help after months of depression and anxiety. Do you have some test and/or stategies to find out if I can have it? Maybe I am just a terrible procastinator.

November 28, 2020 at 2:30 am

Hi, Devin, I also read your post when I should be working on my graduate program thesis. Can relate a lot to your story. I was undiagnosed in 2012 at the age of 32. I was given the result of having combined ADHD with Primarily Hyperactive and Impulsive ADHD & Primarily Inattentive ADHD (formerly called ADD). By the way, I am doing a graduate program Chicano (Mexican American)studies. I am focusing on learning disabilities students in higher education. I would like to stay connected, so here is my email hope to hear from [email protected]

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Passionate Writer Coaching

How an ADHD PhD candidate makes progress every week

• 6 mins read
• ADHD writing support / Stories from the inbox
• August 22, 2023
• academic , ADHD , coaching , dissertation , getting published , productivity , writing

When Cindy first found me through a Google search, she described herself as an “anxious PhD student.” She was in her second year of her Social Work PhD program and had struggled with writing for as long as she could remember. In fact, like so many other ADHD PhD candidates I’ve worked with as an ADHD dissertation coach , she felt that she’d developed trauma around her writing. She felt she had the tools and mechanisms in place she needed to succeed, but wasn’t sure how to use them. She needed help!

Now, a year later, she’s prepared to teach her first class a month before it starts, she’s submitted 4 co-authored papers, and she’s making progress on her dissertation every week.  This is how she got there. 

The big challenges for ADHD PhD candidates

As an ADHD PhD candidate, Cindy was struggling with some challenges that might be recognizable to you.

Isolation and accountability

First and foremost: there’s the isolation. This was an issue for many PhD candidates even before the Covid outbreak , but now that more and more work is being done from home many feel alone, abandoned, and like they’re working in a void. Naturally, this affects their mental health. But it’s even worse for ADHD PhD candidates. We ADHD-ers work best when we feel a sense of connection and, most of all, when we have accountability. This is something that a mentor or ADHD writing coach can offer, but is hard to achieve with self-imposed systems. 

In addition to these common ADHD PhD challenges, now that her program had moved online Cindy also experienced a breakdown in her systems which were related to location: going to campus and going to the library. Here, too, having a mentor could help.

Impostor syndrome

In addition – like many academics, AND people with ADHD – this brilliant woman had built conditioned patterns that went back to the feeling that she didn’t actually know what she was doing. This made it hard for her to keep working on her solo-authored papers and made her incredibly concerned about her upcoming dissertation work. She felt she wasn’t good enough. Like everyone else knew what they were doing even without a coach or mentor. She felt like everyone had gotten the memo on how to write things like the literature review, except her. 

Memory issues for ADHD PhD candidates

And then, of course, there are the memory issues. Cindy felt that she had a million ideas for research and her dissertation. But every time she stepped away from an article she had worked on, she forgot all about it. Trying to remember what she had been doing and what the next steps were was so exhausting and time-consuming that she’d rather not go back to old projects and preferred to start something new.  She did that until her pile of unfinished papers got so out of control that it became yet another source of discouragement for her. 

If you are an ADHD PhD candidate, I’m sure you feel the same. But this is where an ADHD dissertation coach can help. 

Cindy's success

Despite all these challenges, Cindy had one thing to help her succeed. She had decided that she was going to do this, whatever it takes. She was ready to face her challenges head-on and work with me, her ADHD PhD mentor on achieving her goals. 

Well, after a while, at least… 

You see, after our fifth meeting, she fell off my radar. And I didn’t hear from her until six months later when she reached out to see if I would still work with her. And of course, I would! 

I understand how hard it is to maintain consistency. And I also know how difficult it is to reach back out after you’ve not spoken to someone for such a long time. So not only was I happy to hear from her, the ADHD PhD coach in me was very impressed! 

Consistency

Cindy figured out that what she really needed was regular meetings with a mentor. So I gave her two time slots per week and we’ve been working together ever since. 

During our ADHD dissertation coach meetings, Cindy sets clear goals for herself that are achievable in the 3-4 days when we don’t speak. What’s more, at my urging she has started theming her days (Sun-Mon for dissertation, Tues-Wed for work, Thur-Fri for other academic writing). And with that one strategy, she got clarity on what she was doing with her time! 

Together, we have introduced this and other tools to get a handle on her workload. And these have allowed her to make consistent progress every single week. 

And as a bonus: this progress has helped her feel more confident about her writing practice!

Note-taking systems

Meanwhile, in our dissertation writing coach sessions, we’ve also been working on her note-taking systems. When you have ADHD, you can’t rely on your memory. And you especially can’t do that when you work on a four-year project. Something you read today is not going to stay with you until the end of your dissertation! 

That’s why it’s so important to develop a system that not only allows you to store notes, but is also great for recollection of thoughts and quotes. 

During our mentor sessions, Cindy and I have experimented with software like OneNote , Notion Notion , and Obsidian to figure out how to build a system that works for her. And now, she feels that the ideas she has and the literature she reads actually prepare her for the long process of writing the dissertation. 

If you want to be an ADHD PhD success like Cindy...

In conclusion: Cindy is a rock star. She has an incredible work ethic and is someone I respect and appreciate.

However, her transformation wasn’t completely unique. I’ve helped many ADHD PhD candidates like Cindy achieve similar results!

If like Cindy, you want to get a handle on ADHD PhD problems such as isolation, impostor syndrome, and memory issues – do what she did! Just schedule a meeting with me to get access to your personal ADHD PhD mentor!  I’m here to help. 

Do you want to know more about how I can help ADHD PhD candidates write their dissertation? Just click the button below!

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Choosing the Right Path in Advanced Healthcare Education: Master’s or Doctorate?

If you already have a master’s degree in your healthcare profession, should you continue on for a terminal degree? Understanding the distinctions between a Doctor of Health Science (DHSc) degree, a Master's degree, and a PhD is crucial for making an informed decision. As a graduate school focused exclusively in the health professions, we have the expertise to help you decide what degree might be best for your career and life goals.

Understanding the DHSc Degree

A Doctor of Health Science (DHSc) degree is designed for healthcare practitioners and leaders who aim to enhance their knowledge, assume leadership roles, and drive innovation in the healthcare industry. You also may want to obtain a doctoral degree before your professional organization (e.g., PA) mandates an entry-level doctorate, to compete with peers or peer professions in similar roles, or to prepare for entry into academia. The DHSc degree focuses on the practical application of theoretical knowledge, preparing graduates to address real-world challenges in healthcare settings.

Masters or Doctorate: Key Differences

Master's Degree in Healthcare

A Master's degree in healthcare, such as a Master of Public Health (MPH) or a Master of Health Administration (MHA), is typically pursued by those looking to gain specialized knowledge and skills in specific areas of healthcare. These programs usually take two years to complete and are designed to provide a deep dive into particular fields.

• Shorter Duration : Typically completed in 1-2 years.
• Specialized Knowledge: Focuses on specific areas like public health, administration, or clinical practice.
• Immediate Applicability : Often provides skills that can be directly applied to current job roles.
• Limited Scope : May not cover the broad range of topics necessary for high-level leadership roles.
• Career Advancement : While valuable, may not open as many doors for advancement as a doctorate.
• Professional Requirements : Your professional healthcare organization may require a doctoral level degree to practice in your field.

Doctorate in Health Science (DHSc)

A DHSc degree, on the other hand, is designed to prepare healthcare professionals for advanced leadership roles, research, and teaching positions. This program is ideal for those who wish to combine clinical expertise with leadership and research capabilities. The program is not a research doctorate program and does not involve a dissertation.  

• Comprehensive Curriculum : Covers a wide range of topics, including leadership, research, and clinical practice.
• Career Advancement : Opens up higher-level positions in clinical practice, administration, academia, and research.
• Leadership Focus : Emphasizes skills necessary for managing healthcare organizations and leading multidisciplinary teams.
• Higher Cost: More expensive than a master's degree.

DHSc Degree or PhD: Which is Right for You?

PhD in Health Sciences

A PhD in Health Sciences is a research-intensive degree aimed at those who wish to pursue a career in academia or advanced research. This degree focuses on creating new knowledge and contributing to the academic field through original research.

• Research Focus : Ideal for those interested in conducting original research and contributing to academic knowledge.
• Academic Careers: Prepares graduates for tenure-track positions and advanced research roles.
• Funding Opportunities : Often includes opportunities for research grants and fellowships.
• Lengthy Commitment : Typically takes 4-7 years to complete and often require in-person training or time away from one’s professional career to complete
• Narrow Focus : May not provide the practical skills needed for leadership roles in clinical or administrative settings.
• Limited Immediate Applicability : The research focus might not translate directly to practical applications in the healthcare industry.

DHSc Degree

In contrast, the DHSc degree is tailored for healthcare professionals who wish to integrate clinical practice with leadership and research. It balances theoretical knowledge with practical application, making it a versatile choice for those looking to advance their careers in various healthcare settings.

• Balanced Curriculum : Combines leadership, clinical practice, and research.
• Practical Application : Designed to address real-world healthcare challenges.
• Versatility : Prepares graduates for roles in advanced clinical practice, administration, clinical leadership, and education.
• Less Research-Intensive: While it includes research and quality improvement components, it is not as focused on original research as a PhD.

Deciding between a Master's, a DHSc degree, and a PhD in healthcare depends on your career goals, interests, and the type of impact you wish to make. The DHSc degree stands out for its balanced approach, combining leadership, clinical practice, and research, making it a versatile and practical choice for advancing your career.

The question of "masters vs. doctorate" and "is a PhD/doctorate worth it" ultimately comes down to your professional aspirations. If you are looking to enhance your clinical expertise while gaining leadership and research skills, the DHSc degree offers unique advantages. And with MGH Institute of Health Professions offering a top-tier DHSc program , you can be assured of receiving a high-quality education  founded on principles of interprofessional collaboration and practice in the delivery of healthcare and health professions education.

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How to Boost Motivation When You Have ADHD

Effective strategies for tackling ambiguous tasks..

Posted August 3, 2024 | Reviewed by Abigail Fagan

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• Unstructured projects can paralyze people of all ages with ADHD.
• The greatest barrier to initiation is your perception of the task.
• Improve motivation by creating a plan for redirecting focus when it drifts.

Do you have a tough time getting unstructured projects at work or school completed on time? Many people with ADHD can manage smaller tasks that are concrete and uncomplicated. But, when faced with multiple steps or unclear directions, they aren’t sure how to organize things and where to get started. Many of my clients tell me that they feel like ‘professional procrastinators.’ Some folks may pull all-nighters, turning in work bleary-eyed and exhausted in the morning. Others begin something easily only to feel overwhelmed midway through and quit. These patterns create cycles of stress , disappointment and self-criticism that can be defeating and demoralizing.

Overwhelm comes from consistently inconsistent motivation

Living with ADHD means living with consistently inconsistent motivation . In fact, one study found a correlation between inattentive ADHD and procrastination . Another study found that the more substantial the symptoms of ADHD are for somebody, the higher the likelihood there is of experiencing procrastination along with anxiety and depression . When people have ADHD, naturally lower amounts of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain also contribute to inconsistent attention patterns. These typically result in procrastination, overwhelm freeze and task paralysis.

It’s tough for anybody to work up excitement to do an unappealing task. But, with ADHD and the ‘Now/Not now’ brain, it can be even tougher. If somebody with ADHD is interested in a topic, an activity or conversation, they are all in. If not, it’s much harder to work up any enthusiasm. There are two types of motivation: extrinsic and intrinsic. Extrinsic (also known as external) motivation refers to doing something to obtain an outside reward. You renew your license so you can drive: the privilege of driving is your reward. Intrinsic (also known as internal) motivation refers to goals that we set for ourselves. You want to write a good report for your team at work because you feel satisfied and responsible afterward.

Beat the confusion of ambiguous tasks

Unstructured projects—whether they are for work, home or school—can paralyze people of all ages with ADHD. A lack of clarity about what you are supposed to do, how to proceed and where to begin can thwart the best of intentions. Plus, the ambiguity of a task makes organizing materials, planning for time and prioritizing what matters most seem impossible: it’s all just one big shapeless blob. When the pressure of a deadline or the threat of something bad happening creates a crisis mode in your brain and body, you will rush madly to complete something, buoyed by elevated levels of adrenaline and cortisol. Then, depleted and exhausted afterward, people vow to do things differently next time, only to repeat the cycle again.

Improving motivation starts by finding a reason to do something and then clarifying what needs to get done by chopping the blob into smaller parts. Interest fosters motivation, so what can possibly engage you in this task? It might not be the inherent pleasure in completing it and that’s fine. How can you link doing parts of this project to something that matters to you? How can you set up small, earned rewards along the way? What are the components of this task?

Reframe your view of the task

The greatest barrier to initiation is your perception of the task. You may understand the need to do something but lack the interest, skill or focus to do it. Make tasks small enough that beginning them is within your reach. For example, instead of worrying about the entire research project, make it a goal to just work on the intro or hypothesis. Consider how long you can concentrate and for how long: then create work periods based on that information. Build in short and longer breaks, using timers and notes to get you back to what you were doing.

You also don’t have to work alone. Ask a friend or colleague to be a Zoom buddy, body double or accountability partner. These will help you get moving on the task at hand. You don't have to do everything on your own, especially the hard stuff.

Clarify and chunk your tasks

The size of the task affects initiation, a critical element of motivation. If a task seems insurmountable, it’s much more difficult to start it. This is especially true for neurodivergent thinkers. So, break things down into chunks and start small. If you still can’t begin, then the task is still too big. Make it smaller.

One of the challenges of unstructured tasks is the lack of clarity about what they actually entail. Beginning with a brain dump will help you meet this challenge. Once you have everything in a list, you can actually see what’s necessary to do. Then it is possible to arrange items that relate to each other and clarify your goals. This creates a map for you of the general territory of the project. Check in with your boss, a colleague or a professor to make sure you’ve understood and laid an effective foundation.

Next, find something in this list that interests you. Then, armed with one of your goals, decide how long you want to work on it and what your incentive will be. For example, you may like to concentrate for 45 minutes and then want to take a short break and grab a cup of coffee. Leave yourself a note about what you were doing so you can return right to it.

Track your focus

In addition to initiation, focus is another important element of motivation. People with ADHD and chronic difficulties with inattention have some areas where they can pay attention with no problem. They lack attention for uninteresting tasks.

Focus is a dynamic process of what is critical to notice or do. It is the spotlight of your attention. You can improve focus by noticing where it is and where it’s not. If you have a tendency to drift off while working or studying, create a plan for recovering focus when you catch your attention shifting away from the task at hand. It’s often helpful to create a workspace for yourself that lacks distractions, like a quiet room without a TV or other digital temptations. Make it a habit to leave your phone and other devices out of arm’s reach to give yourself the best chance to stay focused on your work.

Growth mindsets nurture motivation

It may take some trial and error to come up with an approach that works well for you. Notice what helps you start and stay engaged. Do more of what works and be kind to yourself if you have to regroup. A growth mindset means trying, evaluating and pivoting without shame or judgment. Start small and pay attention to your successes!

Volkow ND, Wang GJ, Newcorn JH, Kollins SH, Wigal TL, Telang F, Fowler JS, Goldstein RZ, Klein N, Logan J, Wong C, Swanson JM. Motivation deficit in ADHD is associated with dysfunction of the dopamine reward pathway. Mol Psychiatry. 2011 Nov;16(11):1147-54. doi: 10.1038/mp.2010.97. Epub 2010 Sep 21. PMID: 20856250; PMCID: PMC3010326.

Niermann HC, Scheres A. The relation between procrastination and symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in undergraduate students. Int J Methods Psychiatr Res. 2014 Dec;23(4):411-21. doi: 10.1002/mpr.1440. Epub 2014 Jul 3. PMID: 24992694; PMCID: PMC6878228.

Sharon Saline, Psy.D. , is a clinical psychologist and an expert in how ADHD, LD, and mental health affect children, teens and families. She is the author of What Your ADHD Child Wishes You Knew .

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Sticking up for yourself is no easy task. But there are concrete skills you can use to hone your assertiveness and advocate for yourself.

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• EPISODE 189

Hormones Got Your Attention? What to Know About ADHD in Menopause Kathleen Nadeau, PhD (Episode 189)

Women and girls have historically been overlooked when it comes to ADHD. Now experts understand that many girls and women do indeed have ADHD. It just looks different, and estrogen has a big role in how it plays out and in how we treat it, which becomes especially important once we hit the menopause transition. For women with ADHD–and many are just being diagnosed for the first time in midlife–the fluctuation and decline of estrogen levels can make their condition much harder to manage, which is something that has historically been completely overlooked. This week we dive into it all with internationally recognized authority on ADHD, Kathleen Nadeau, PhD. 

Kathleen Nadeau, PhD, is founder of The Chesapeake Center and is a frequent lecturer on topics related to ADHD. She is the author or co-author of over a dozen books related to ADHD, including her latest on older adults, Still Distracted After All These Years. The Chesapeake Center - ADHD, Learning and Behavioral Health (www.thechesapeakecenter.com) is now one of the largest private ADHD specialty centers in the US. Dr. Nadeau is now focused on the development of the Chesapeake Advanced ADHD Training Institute (ChAATI) to provide master classes for mental health professionals in the diagnosis and treatment of complex ADHD. The introductory seminar series featuring Dr. Nadeau will be available in the coming months through www.chaati.com. 

https://www.additudemag.com/menopause-symptoms-adhd-survey/

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• Published August 14, 2024 at 7:00 AM UTC
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• Episode 189
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How to do a PhD with ADHD?

Has anyone done a PhD here? If so, how do you manage to stay on track?

I'm currently finishing my Master's thesis and my supervisor has asked me if I'm interested in a PhD. I've thought about a career in academia, because I love researching, learning, and talking about research. However, I've been struggling so much with my Master's thesis. It's so hard for me to stay on track. I keep getting distracted from my goal, spending hours and days on things that aren't important and neglecting things that are. I feel constantly overwhelmed with all the possible choices and paths I could take. Once I'm in the zone, I can't stop working because I love it so much, but managing my inner chaos enough to actually get into the zone is really hard.

Because of my struggles with my Master's thesis, I already thought a PhD isn't for me, but now I saw that my university has a PhD posting that combines all of my research interests and now I'm intrigued.

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Do I Have ADHD? Signs And How To Get A Diagnosis

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Table of Contents

What is adhd, what are common symptoms of adhd in adults, how to get a diagnosis for adhd as an adult.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder in children, but it can affect adults, too. While research and online ADHD quizzes may help you understand certain symptoms of ADHD in adults, this article will help you learn what steps to take to get an official ADHD diagnosis.

• Access high quality online ADHD treatment covering diagnosis, medication, therapy and success coaching.
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ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder, which means it impacts brain development and functioning. While ADHD is most commonly diagnosed in childhood , ADHD symptoms can persist into adulthood and diagnoses can happen later in life. An estimated 2% to 7% of adults worldwide have ADHD [1] Ginapp CM, Macdonald-Gagnon G, Angarita GA, Bold KW, Potenza MN. The lived experiences of adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A rapid review of qualitative evidence . Front Psychiatry. 2022;11:13:949321. [2] Williams OC, Prasad S, McCrary A, et al.. Adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a comprehensive review . Ann Med Surg (Lond). 2023;85(5):1802–1810. .

ADHD impacts the executive functions housed in the frontal lobe of the brain, says Billy Roberts, a licensed independent social worker, certified ADHD therapist and clinical director of Focused Mind ADHD Counseling in Columbus, Ohio. “These functions include the ability to plan ahead, filter out distractions and sustain focus, maintain effort and energy toward goals, self-regulate, recall things in the short term (also known as working memory) and organize oneself,” he says.

While researchers haven’t identified an exact cause of ADHD, certain genetic and environmental factors may play a role. These factors include:

• Family history of ADHD
• Premature birth
• Low birthweight

There is no known cure for ADHD, but a combination of treatments can help reduce symptoms and improve quality of life. These treatments include:

• Psychoeducation, which includes teaching those diagnosed and their family members about ADHD and how ADHD can affect different areas of life
• Therapy/skills training
• Cognitive behavioral therapy
• Supplements, such as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids
• Medication(s)

Regardless of age, people with ADHD have structural differences in their brains compared to people without ADHD. With that said, symptoms can present differently in children and adults. “One major reason is that the ‘adult world’ has a different set of expectations and social standards than the world of childhood,” says Roberts.

Additionally, ADHD symptoms in adults can be varied and complicated, and “even if someone has many symptoms that seem like they are caused by ADHD, there can still be other causes,” notes Jennifer Minami, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Loma Linda University School of Medicine.

ADHD symptoms typically fall into two categories: inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity. Adults can have mostly inattention symptoms, mostly hyperactivity-impulsivity symptoms or a combination of both. Some of the most common symptoms of ADHD in adults include the following.

Difficulty Paying Attention

Adults with ADHD often struggle to maintain focus and tend to avoid tasks that require extended mental effort. Inattention may manifest as zoning out in conversations or meetings or getting easily distracted during tasks, says Roberts.

Procrastination and Difficulty Following Through on Tasks

Procrastination is one of the hallmarks of ADHD, with studies suggesting it’s the most common functional impairment for diagnosed adults. According to Roberts, adults with ADHD not only tend to put off tasks, but they may also struggle to get projects over the finish line.

“This starts to create much more significant problems in adulthood when individuals are expected to remember to pay bills, follow through on tasks at work and engage in longer-term projects,” adds Dr. Minami.

Forgetfulness

Adults with ADHD can experience memory problems, with research finding decreased performance in short-term memory tasks. Indeed, according to one small study, participants with adult ADHD said they were often teased or criticized for their forgetfulness [3] Beaton DM, Sirois F, Milne E. Experiences of criticism in adults with ADHD: A qualitative study . PLoS One. 2022;17(2):e0263366. . “During childhood, being forgetful may have fewer consequences because a child has an adult figure who helps them remember things and organize themselves,” says Dr. Minami.

Feelings of Underachievement or Laziness

“ADHD in adults can bring on chronic feelings of underachievement, being lazy or not living up to one’s potential due to procrastinating or not completing work while having the skills and knowledge to perform better,” says Dr. Minami. In studies, adults with ADHD have reported academic or workplace underachievement, often finding it hard to stay on task, multitask or return to a task when interrupted.

Difficulty in Social Situations

In one review, adults with ADHD reported feeling misunderstood or rejected in social contexts, often struggling to pick up on social cues [4] Bjerrum MB, Pedersen PU, Larsen P. Living with symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adulthood: a systematic review of qualitative evidence . JBI Database System Rev Implement Rep. 2017;15(4):1080-1153. . A tendency to interrupt others or react with intense emotion, according to Dr. Minami, can also make it challenging for adults with ADHD to navigate certain social situations.

Restlessness

While research shows hyperactivity is a more visible symptom in children, adults with ADHD can experience restlessness and difficulty relaxing. This restlessness may also lead adults with ADHD to get up when they’re expected to remain seated, says Roberts.

• Get a free initial assessment to determine if a diagnosis appointment is necessary.
• Same-Day booking and receive a treatment plan within 7 days.
• A holistic approach to treatment with therapy, medicine management and success coaching available.

If you suspect you may have ADHD, speak with your general practitioner. While they will not give you a formal diagnosis, they can connect you with a specialist.

“The best way to find out if you have ADHD is to seek a comprehensive evaluation by either a psychiatrist, psychologist or psychiatric nurse practitioner who specializes in ADHD,” says Dr. Minami.

The ADHD diagnostic process typically includes an evaluation of:

• Recent symptoms
• Childhood history
• Medical history
• Family history
• Ruling out other psychiatric conditions

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) , an adult may be diagnosed with ADHD if they have had five or more symptoms of ADHD for at least six months.

• Has difficulty paying attention to details or makes simple mistakes in schoolwork or work
• Often has trouble keeping their attention on the tasks at hand
• Does not seem to listen when addressed directly
• Has difficulty following through on instructions and may not finish schoolwork, chores or workplace duties
• Organizing tasks and activities is difficult
• Sustained mental effort tasks are often avoided
• Loses things often (that are needed for tasks or work)
• Can be easily distracted
• Can often be forgetful
• Often squirms of fidgets
• Often has difficulty staying seated
• May move around or climb things in inappropriate situations
• May have trouble relaxing
• Often seems like they are being “driven by a motor”
• May talk excessively
• May blurt out answers to questions before the other person has finished asking
• Can have difficulty waiting their turn in many situations
• May interrupt others often

Even if some of the above symptoms feel familiar to you, “diagnosis of ADHD in adulthood is a complex process because the person diagnosing will need to be able to tease out what is true ADHD from other conditions that can impact focus or self-control,” says Roberts.

So why is it that some people don’t receive an ADHD diagnosis until they’re older? Roberts says diagnosis in adulthood can happen when ADHD is overlooked for various reasons. For instance, he says, some children compensate with perfectionism or high intelligence or they have a good support system at home and at school. “Once individuals with ADHD reach adulthood, they might find that their current situation creates a tipping point and their previous ways of coping with attention issues are no longer effective,” notes Roberts.

Because certain conditions (such as anxiety or trauma) can have similar symptoms to ADHD, it’s important to talk to your doctor if you’ve been diagnosed and medicated for ADHD but do not feel like you are improving—this could be a sign of a misdiagnosis.

Book Your ADHD Consultation

Fast-track your way to getting control over your ADHD with ADHDAdvisor. Book your online diagnosis and get a personalized treatment plan in under seven days.

On ADHDAdvisor.org

The Dangers of ADHD Self-Diagnosis

While an online self-assessment can be a starting point and perhaps encourage you to speak with a specialist, it’s only a first step. An online ADHD quiz or AI-powered chatbot can help educate you about ADHD and even offer suggestions for what to do next, but it’s best to leave diagnosis—and treatment—to the professionals, such as psychiatrists, psychologists and neurologists.

It’s important to remember that answering “yes” to many self-assessment questions doesn’t guarantee a diagnosis, says Dr. Minami. Additionally, she says, self-diagnosis can lead to a narrow view on treatment approaches because ADHD is often associated with other psychiatric comorbidities. In other words, adults diagnosed with ADHD commonly experience depression and/or bipolar, substance use, anxiety and personality disorders.

“We want to improve the quality of life of individuals through lower stress, better relationships and work and school functioning and greater confidence and self-esteem by accurately identifying the root causes of what’s going on and then working on an appropriate treatment from there,” says Dr. Minami.

Learning you have ADHD later in life can give rise to a mix of complex emotions, including anger and regret after years of feeling misunderstood. It can also provide hope and solace. “An adult ADHD diagnosis often leads to feelings of relief and validation,” says Roberts. “After a diagnosis, a door becomes unlocked and the key was knowing that so many struggles were due to an overlooked neurological condition and not a result of willpower or some character flaw.”

While many ADHD symptoms can be seen as roadblocks in an adult’s life, they can also be considered strengths. In one study, which included adults seeking psychological help for their diagnosis, participants noted several positive ADHD characteristics. For instance, high energy, creativity, the ability to think outside the norm and the frequent pursuit of new experiences can lead to positive outcomes at home and in the workplace [5] Nordby ES, Guribye F, Nordgreen T, Lundervold AJ. Silver linings of ADHD: a thematic analysis of adults’ positive experiences with living with ADHD . BMJ Open. 2023;13(10):e072052. .

To find a qualified mental health professional who can evaluate you for ADHD, you can start by asking your primary care doctor for a referral. You can also visit CHADD’s professional directory to find the right local specialist for you.

• Ginapp CM, Macdonald-Gagnon G, Angarita GA, Bold KW, Potenza MN. The lived experiences of adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A rapid review of qualitative evidence. Front Psychiatry. 2022;11:13:949321.
• Williams OC, Prasad S, McCrary A, et al.. Adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a comprehensive review. Ann Med Surg (Lond). 2023;85(5):1802–1810.
• Beaton DM, Sirois F, Milne E. Experiences of criticism in adults with ADHD: A qualitative study. PLoS One. 2022;17(2):e0263366.
• Bjerrum MB, Pedersen PU, Larsen P. Living with symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adulthood: a systematic review of qualitative evidence. JBI Database System Rev Implement Rep. 2017;15(4):1080-1153.
• Nordby ES, Guribye F, Nordgreen T, Lundervold AJ. Silver linings of ADHD: a thematic analysis of adults’ positive experiences with living with ADHD. BMJ Open. 2023;13(10):e072052.
• Rivas-Vazquez RA, Diaz SG, Visser MM, Rivas-Vazquez AA. Adult ADHD: Underdiagnosis of a Treatable Condition. J Health Serv Psychol. 2023;49(1):11–19.
• Adult ADHD Test. Attention Deficit Disorder Association. Accessed 5/22/2024.
• Understanding ADHD: What you need to know. NIH MedlinePlus. Accessed 5/22/2024.
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). National Health Service. Accessed 5/22/2024.
• Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. National Institute of Mental Health. Accessed 5/22/2024.
• Kolar D, Keller A, Golfinopoulos M, Syer C, Hechtman L. Treatment of adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2008; 4(2):389–403.
• ADHD Changes In Adulthood. Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD). Accessed 5/22/2024.
• Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Adults: What You Need to Know. National Institute of Mental Health. Accessed 5/22/2024.
• Sapkale B, Sawal A. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Causes and Diagnosis in Adults: A Review. Cureus. 2023;15(11):e49144.
• DSM-5 Changes: Implications for Child Serious Emotional Disturbance. NIH National Library of Medicine. Accessed 5/23/2024.
• Oguchi M, Takahashi T, Nitta Y, Kumano H. The Moderating Effect of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms on the Relationship Between Procrastination and Internalizing Symptoms in the General Adult Population. Front Psychol. 2021:12:708579.
• Salamone S, Fleming GR, Bramham J, O’Connell RG, Robertson IH. Neuropsychological Deficits in Adult ADHD: Evidence for Differential Attentional Impairments, Deficient Executive Functions, and High Self-Reported Functional Impairments. J Atten Disord. 2020;24(10):1413-1424.
• Beehuspoteea N, Badrakalimuthu VR. Exploring the relationship between ADHD and dementia. Progress in Neurology and Psychiatry. 2023;27(2):5-9.
• Culpepper L, Mattingly G. Challenges in Identifying and Managing Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Adults in the Primary Care Setting: A Review of the Literature. Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry. 2010;12(6):PCC.10r00951.
• ADHD Test. Mental Health America. Accessed 5/22/2024.
• Jang S, Kim J-J, Kim S-J, Hong J, Kim S, Kim E. Mobile app-based chatbot to deliver cognitive behavioral therapy and psychoeducation for adults with attention deficit: A development and feasibility/usability study. Int J Med Inform. 2021:150:104440.
• Professionals Who Diagnose and Treat ADHD. Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD). Accessed 5/22/2024.
• Katzman MA, Bilkey TS, Chokka PR, Fallu A, Klassen LJ. Adult ADHD and comorbid disorders: clinical implications of a dimensional approach. BMC Psychiatry. 2017;17:302.
• An ADHD diagnosis in adulthood comes with challenges and benefits. American Psychological Association. Accessed 5/22/2024.
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Nicole McDermott has worked in the creative content space for the last decade as a writer, editor and director. Her work has been featured on TIME Healthland, Prevention, Shape, USA Today, HuffPost, Refinery29, Lifehacker, Health, DailyBurn, Openfit and Sleep Number, among others. She loves to lift heavy things, eat healthy foods and treats, stock her makeup bag with clean beauty products and use not-so-toxic cleaning supplies. She's also a big fan of wine, hiking, reality television and crocheting. She lives in Connecticut with her husband, son and dog.

Deborah Courtney is a licensed psychotherapist with a private practice in New York. She integrates evidence-based, trauma-informed treatments with spiritual healing approaches to honor the connection between mind, body and spirit. Specifically, she utilizes eye movement desensitization reprocessing (EMDR), somatic experiencing (SE), ego state therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and reiki. She’s featured in various media forms promoting holistic mental health and wellness and is a speaker on the topics of trauma, holistic mental health treatment, self-care and mindfulness. Courtney’s other endeavors include creating the EMDR Journey Game, an internationally sold trauma treatment tool, and running her socially- and emotionally-minded day school for children in upstate New York. She’s excited to soon release an online learning platform to make holistic mental health education accessible to a mass audience.

Raygun becomes viral sensation during breaking performance at 2024 Paris Olympics: Social media reacts

Breaking , more commonly known as breakdancing, made its debut as an Olympic sport this week at the 2024 Paris Games , with 17 B-girls and 16 B-boys making their way to France with the hopes of securing a gold medal.

On the first day of competition, viewers from across the world were treated to a different kind of introduction — not to the sport itself, but one of its athletes.

Though she was a long way from winning a gold medal, likely no breaker Friday captured the imagination of the international audience more than Rachael Gunn, an Australian breaker who competes under the name “Raygun.”

REQUIRED READING: Follow USA TODAY's coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics

Raygun went 0-3 in her head-to-head competitions Friday — falling to Logistx of the United States, Syssy of France and eventual silver medalist Nicka of Lithuania by a combined score of 54-0 — and failed to record a point across those three matches, but for what she lacked in smoothly executed moves, she made up for in the hearts she won over with her demeanor.

Raygun’s short-lived Olympic experience made her a celebrity, one who people became even more enamored with once they learned more about her.

The 36-year-old Gunn, who was one of the oldest qualifiers in the breaking competition, has a PhD in cultural studies and is a college professor at Macquarie University in Sydney. Her research focuses primarily on breaking, street dance and hip-hop culture while her work draws on “cultural theory, dance studies, popular music studies, media, and ethnography.”

“In 2023, many of my students didn’t believe me when I told them I was training to qualify for the Olympics, and were shocked when they checked Google and saw that I qualified,” Gunn said to CNBC earlier this month .

Unlike much of her competition in Paris, Gunn took up break dancing later in life. She didn’t enter her first battle until 2012.

On Friday, a person who began the day as a little-known academic ended it as a viral worldwide sensation.

Here’s a sampling of the reaction to Raygun and her performance:

2024 PARIS OLYMPICS: Meet the members of Team USA competing at the 2024 Paris Olympics

Social media reacts to Raygun’s breaking performance at 2024 Paris Olympics

I could live all my life and never come up with anything as funny as Raygun, the 36-year-old Australian Olympic breakdancer pic.twitter.com/1uPYBxIlh8 — mariah (@mariahkreutter) August 9, 2024

Give Raygun the gold right now #breakdancing pic.twitter.com/bMtAWEh3xo — n★ (@nichstarr) August 9, 2024

my five year old niece after she says “watch this!” : pic.twitter.com/KBAMSkgltj — alex (@alex_abads) August 9, 2024

I'd like to personally thank Raygun for making millions of people worldwide think "huh, maybe I can make the Olympics too" pic.twitter.com/p5QlUbkL2w — Bradford Pearson (@BradfordPearson) August 9, 2024

The Aussie B-Girl Raygun dressed as a school PE teach complete with cap while everyone else is dressed in funky breaking outfits has sent me. It looks like she’s giving her detention for inappropriate dress at school 🤣 #Olympics pic.twitter.com/lWVU3myu6C — Georgie Heath🎙️ (@GeorgieHeath27) August 9, 2024

There has not been an Olympic performance this dominant since Usain Bolt’s 100m sprint at Beijing in 2008. Honestly, the moment Raygun broke out her Kangaroo move this competition was over! Give her the #breakdancing gold 🥇 pic.twitter.com/6q8qAft1BX — Trapper Haskins (@TrapperHaskins) August 9, 2024

my dog on the lawn 30 seconds after i've finished bathing him pic.twitter.com/A5aqxIbV3H — David Mack (@davidmackau) August 9, 2024

My wife at 3AM: I think I heard one of the kids Me: No way, they are asleep *looks at baby monitor* pic.twitter.com/Ubhi6kY4w4 — Wes Blankenship (@Wes_nship) August 9, 2024

me tryna get the duvet off when i’m too hot at night #olympics pic.twitter.com/NM4Fb2MEmX — robyn (@robynjournalist) August 9, 2024

Raygun really hit them with the "Tyrannosaurus." pic.twitter.com/ZGCMjhzth9 — Mike Beauvais (@MikeBeauvais) August 9, 2024

Raygun (AUS) https://t.co/w2lxLRaW2x — Peter Nygaard (@RetepAdam) August 9, 2024